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Finale to [Reg] A Bad Time for Leather {Quenton x Isaiah} and then [Solo]Caturn

Zähne moved to take advantage of his reservation, and while Quenton had said that he didn’t make it a point of watching every move of a customer, he did make it a point, while repairing some feather teasers he’d bought out from the cat room initially, to keep an eye on the first-timer’s interactions. It’s plain enough he’s excited and interested in cats, being willing to get so close and personal with them- ah. But can’t follow directions within even the first appointment to not pick up the cats himself. At least he’s being careful, but there’s strike one, sir.


A notation was marked onto the customer profile on the iPad of rule broken and a red ‘x’, as well as the date for future reference. If he gets to strike two, I’ll have to reiterate the rules, for as much good as that does when someone has gotten there. Unpleasant.

He shifted to cleaning and then restocking the counter and station for the remainder. The door and distinctive patters drew Quenton’s attention from the custom acrylic zipper pulls display. He let a cat out. Of course. Has he ever had a cat before in his life? Why can’t you cat. No just moseying through doors and holding them ajar forever.

Quenton, however, crossed the space in a rapid handful of paces and scooped the cat into a shoulder hold in a smooth arc from it’s run. The regular cats were infinitely easier to capture than Faust, almost disappointingly unclever by comparison. Except he couldn’t actually feel disappointed in a warm, furry, and suddenly purring body that was trying to convince all the world that it was not caught and had meant to get picked up the whole time. Flame eyes found Zähne, “Would you open the door about 8 inches while I stuff her through? Then close it as soon as I pull back? It’s easier with two people. ”

Marinus must’ve been a feline mind reader.

Before Isaiah could so much as flag down his attention, Marinus stole the cat from its path in one clean motion. Isaiah halted mid-step, stared, and wondered how in the hell he managed it. Did this happen often? Was he a cat wrangling prodigy? Did the job offer specific training on how to capture an escaped cat? Regardless, Marinus was now the proud owner of a furbag that looked far too perturbed to remain in his grasp. Isaiah wasn’t certain if that was a reward or not.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize they… did that…” He offered, a thumb jerked back toward the cat room door. He wanted to suggest placing a sign on the door that hurried customers through the transition, but it seemed rude and implicative of a lack of foresight on Catfé’s part rather than a means to circumvent future user error. He glanced toward the door in question and wondered exactly how many times a cat escaped into the eatery portion of the cafe. He wagered it happened at least once a week, potentially more if the business entertained many inexperienced cat fanciers. Cats, or at least this cat, was of the kind that saw an open door as opportunity.

He followed Marinus back toward the door, and initial reaction to the mischievous feline dictated that he pet it. Of course, this involved reaching past the taller man’s shoulder, and Isaiah didn’t trust himself to avoid making advances on the bone haired could-be supermodel. Instead he fell into step behind him and eyed the purring entity. He thought he witnessed a clever glint in its eyes, and the more Isaiah stared at the kitty, the more uncertain he felt of what he saw, but something about its disposition felt mocking toward him. He wondered if his mind simply superimposed a reaction onto the cat that belied his envy for its position against Marinus’ breast.

Isaiah took up position next to the door and rested a hand on its handle. A quick glance in through the glass confirmed most felines simply lounging, and waiting for more additions to friendly cat time. “You sure they aren’t going to peel out like a torrent? Do they have a pack instinct to go looking for that one? Never lived with a cat, so I don’t know much about them.”

Although I suppose it’s an option now, if I wanted it. There’s no one around to tell me no, and I finally make enough money to support one. It’s cheaper than a girlfriend, anyway, and cheaper than a habit.

Speaking of, I bet Marinus is money well spent. I could buy him all kinds of cat thongs for that sweet a**.

“They are sometimes creatures possessed of their own agency more than any particular want, and decide the existence of a barrier alone warrants trying to be beyond it. They can see out the windows from in there on their ledges. One or two of them at any given time just likes to try to get out because this is ‘beyond the door’ adventure space. It is different. FDA and Department of Public Health regulations require they not be allowed to play the inside-outside door game that cats like to play. ‘Domestic’ cats don’t generally form packs. Free-living felidae are solitary predators, but highly adaptable. Under the right conditions- lack of space, or abundant food and good shelter, will adapt to group-living and develop social structure and relationships. The most common are small groups of females with a lead 'Queen', vaguely resembling a lion pride. Resembling, but not as interdependent as a pride for survival. A group is called a 'clowder'. Larger loose associations would be called a colony, and tend to form mostly matrilinear connections to each other. Adopted cats live best in an arrangement of pairs, to keep company of intelligent interaction and stimulation, in the limitations of indoor life. " The feline in example was stuffed unceremoniously, though gently, back through the portal with a brief display of palm up in it’s face as the door was closed as a deterrent to bolting again. Quenton straightened, turning his attention back to Zähne. One eyebrow lifted, noting how the man’s attention seemed drawn irrevocably still, when in proximity, to his backside. “Do you just enjoy them when you do have chances to be around them, then? They are...enigmatic companions. Their independence and cleanliness, as well as combination of intelligence and quirks, are much of their appeal and differentiation from dogs. We host occasional classes on cat care, health and management if you’d like to learn more in a small group. There’s also the internet, though, for learning what litterboxes are, the differences in ingredients, toys, food, habit management. “

“Stocking day once a week, every week, same day. Not always shorts to go with. “

”Thanks, Wikipedia.” Isaiah smiled in jest. He leaned against the door while he spoke, idly listening to the cries of lament from the other side. Several scraping noises came from the door. “There’s always such a stigma about cats and their being aloof. Some people find it endearing, but mostly it just looks like they’re perfectly fine to cohabitate with people when the need arises. None of those cats reacted aversely to my sitting in there. Were these cats picked specifically for interactivity? They come from adoption agencies, yes?” The various puffs of fur never responded hatefully to him, and most appeared quite friendly and amicable toward interaction.

“I’ve read consistently that cats are ranked at lesser intelligence than dogs, but I wonder if that appraisal is more heavily reliant on their trainability. Cats are more likely to give the ‘******** off’ vibe, after all.” As a good half of the felines within gave to him - he counted at least a handful that wanted nothing to do with him at the time, and were perfectly content to clean their genitals.

Turning to peer in at the cats served a twofold purpose in how he could hide his embarrassment and watch the barred feline claw obstinately at the door. “I wanted to have a cat for a pet since I was young. I never grew up in a situation where I could, though, and I guess it hadn’t occurred to me that I could own a cat now.” But what’s the point in adopting one if I inadvertently ruin its life with my ignorance?

“Do your classes start on stocking day?” Isaiah asked over his shoulder. “And by ‘not always shorts’ do you mean skirts, or just underwear, or nothing at all, or…?”

Wikipedia? ...that smile is not one of insult. His body speaks more of leisure, ease, curiosity. More appropriate to a cat with prey, which I knew already and play to. He is at ease with those pleasant, body, little cruelties. Experienced enough, then. Well....he does care about his appearance- presenting a constructed and impeccable mask or image. Which? No telling on a first encounter.

“The basics of cat care are very similar to human care- feed an appropriate level of nutrients, clean water available, clean space to live, clean litterbox or toilet training. The specifics, works arounds, discussion about personal foibles and where things can be added or changed, product lines for specific problems, we address in the class on Wednesdays. There are many youtube tutorials, books, and websites with tips as well. As you’re conscientious enough to worry about it, the likelihood of you ‘ruining’ a cat’s life is very slim. “ Quenton’s lower eyelids lifted in memory of a smile, the rising of the other man to the sparring tête-à-tête Bold, at last, as the rest of him. What do I hope to do of such a game between customer and proprietor? A regular, with a likewise interest, some other connection to find at least professionally genial? Perhaps so. Entertainment for us both. A cat for his companionship. To thrill, delight, to connect...not all the drives of an artist gone before the wave of necessity in archeology.

“You’ll have to keep a tally and let me know how the definitions’ bell curve comes out. “

"All of our adoptable cats, of which that one is a member, are hand chosen for their temperaments out of the residents at two of Destiny City's no-kill shelters whom we have an affiliation with. So our adoption process is dictated by theirs- the cats are 'on loan', so to speak, with the fees going to their operation costs. If everything is squared away and you're approved, its $50 for cats older than 2, and $75 for younger ones. None of our cats are younger than 10 weeks. If you are interested in the Puff of Joy that was investigating you, the whole process takes about an hour for the paperwork. "

" We will need to verify home ownership. If you rent, we will need a copy of your lease stating that your landlord permits you to have pets along with your landlord’s signature and contact information. It's a matter of legalities and assuring that the animals aren't going to be abandoned. All adopters must complete an application form, which will credit check you, all adopters must be at least 21 years of age. If you have any animals already in your household, they must be spayed or neutered and have proof papers of vaccinations. All the animals here are, in order to help prevent overpopulation. All household members must be present prior to the finalization of an adoption, so if you have roommates they will need to come in on any final day of the pick up for proof of approval. Adoptions can only be approved to households within a 75 mile radius of our address, further locations would have to inquire with the shelters themselves. "

"Here, we have little one-sheets on each of the cats. That one's name at the shelter is something insipid like 'Muffin', which a new owner is welcome to change. " The laugh was pleasant, as was the genial reaction to an activity that some would find just frustration. Especially some in tight leathers. Quenton motioned with his eyes and a tilt of his head to the stand, an invitation, then headed that way himself to retrieve an 8.5x11 glossy informational sheet with 4-color pictures of the fluff in question. He offered it out with a second paper that was front-and-back, printed with limited colors but every bit as much design as an infographic from a quality graphic design firm. "Here's a Beginner's Checklist to Cat's if you wanted to look over some of the basic expectations and expenses as well. "

"You can fill it all out here, now if you like, on paper or on the tablet, " Quenton pulled a second tablet up from under the counter, tapped a few menus and set it down before Isaiah. "Some people choose themes in their pet names- characters from a favorite book or play, world conquerors, or...brand names. Scientists. I know a customer that has named all her cats over the years from the surnames of directors she likes. There's favoring in names that end with the long E sound, whether spelled with an 'ie', 'y', 'ee' or some other, to convey the diminutive tradition of nicknames to our pets- that sense of intimacy or endearment. "

Quenton paused a moment, looking to a vague middle distance while carding unsuccessfully through a mental catalog of factoids, then shook his head, "I thought...I read somewhere ...that phoneme was easier to learn or distinguish of human sounds to common pets. Cats and Dogs. But I can't recall the source or published study clearly enough. So don't rely on that. Maybe it was a wives' tale. My own cat has such a name in one pronunciation- wiːdʒi. " And a character from a famous story or play in the other: Faust.

"Honestly, you'll end up calling your cat dozens of different, evolving nicknames. They're enigmatic puffs that gather monikers like static cling attracts dryer lint, yet never seeming to fit any single description. It's part of their 'mystery' or ...charm. The official name is mostly something for veterinary paperwork and tracking chips. Were you set on Tastykake? She does come with a soft-side, messenger-style sport carrier if you'd like one. Or we have temporary, recyclable cardboard carriers for take homes. " A step over to a recessed cupboard and Quenton removed examples of both with their excessively cute CatFe logos.

“Normalcy has a tendency, by nature and definition, to be boring. I wouldn’t worry overmuch about joining the ranks of cat-madness.” Quenton pulled the tablet back while it processed, keeping a secondary glance in order to key in the following commands on the prompts for the credit check and felonies screening through the adoption agency’s workflow. “There’s no official competition sports that involve cats, so far as I know. Not the way that dog shows have eventing, or that English Saddle has Fox Hunting. People who spend the time, and with the right cat, do get a companion willing to go do things. Ouija rides on my shoulders about town, and he has a basket on my bike to watch the world go by, or nap, and there’s plenty of internet sensation about scuba diving cats and dogs, or skydiving. Some cats like to walk treadmills. “

“Our social media presence, The CatFe, has two tumblrs- one for our own cats and location photos, patrons, and friends, and one that collects and reblogs all the cat memes, gifs and news stories that we come across at large. You can find sport-going cats on both. “ The carriers were set onto the counter for Zähne to check out from all angles as he liked, or to heft. “ ‘Sport’ in this case meaning much the same as human department store luggage- it’s soft-sided with a messenger strap that would be easier to secure to equipment, lightweight, flat storage and quick, machine washing for cleaning. It is contrasted against traditional hard plastic carriers which are more protective, but bulky, difficult to move around easily, and can involve more maintenance for cleaning and storage. I don’t know why marketing companies chose to interpret ‘sport’ that way compared to actual ‘sport’ use like stores like d**k’s, REI or Cabela’s. “ Isaiah had a nice smile, for as creepy as it could be interpreted with his heavy lids and darkly made eyes. The sparkles were a fair touch, encouragingly off-mode from masculine gender norms to either an enjoyment of general aesthetics for their own purpose. The purple edges offset the yellow and green tones in the hazel in a fine complementary triad.

The final screen appeared on the ipad, the approval signaled lifting Quenton’s eyebrow. It was not for any doubt of the man’s means if he was so attendant to appearances and wearing fitted, expensive, real leather clothing. From the looks of the tailoring, after having Stroud cram so many high end fashions onto his body, it was all designer-level brand. ‘Zähne’ checks out as a fully legal alias, then, by tax purposes as much as a name on cards. A fully legal change then? Interesting. Is he a musician? Actor? Other-soul enthusiast? Why change a name to ‘teeth’? “You’re all clear. Would you like to pay cash, credit, debit, apple/android pay, paypal or check? “

As though on cue, and unbenownst to either of them previously, a loud demand came from the floor. There was Faust, escaped from the back and near the barrista stand where code safety declared cats could certainly NOT be.

"You." It was said with entertained accusation and at the floor. Quenton double-patted his own shoulder and the great black sofabison made the leap. He hoped for a friendly bunting. "I will have to sanitize the entire station. "

Not that Faust cared. "This is His Imperial Majesty, Lord Ouija. He's a Kurilian Bobtail, and too clever for most doors and barriers. Unfortunately, the carriers only come in black from that brand. I'll make a note of the query for the team to look over if they can find a different supplier. "

Something drew the man's attention far away, something that would have annoyed most clerks in a retail transaction. Quenton found it curious, endearing, and encouraging. Zähne was capable of a level of concentration and thoughts deep enough to draw him to an inward world, something most never managed. And he even manages it with so prominent a difficulty.

Quenton took the offered card, checked for a chip, and set it through the proper peripherals, then turned the pad and offered a digital stylus for signing. "Everything is in order then. Let's go get Tasty from the back."

'From,' not 'in', stallion.

"Correct. He's something like our mascot, and lives here fulltime. He is muse to the owner, adopted off the street from an artist friend in a sketchy part of downtown. " Quenton didn't bother about whether his a** was being watched as he led Zähne, and was pleasantly surprised that the newcomer to cat-fandom had already learned the lesson of doors and freerunning felines.

"She'll be happy to have her own kingdom to queen over. What they dislike about the bags, and being put into carriers, is that it is on 'your' time and at 'your' behest. If we just kept the bags out in here, many of them would lounge around inside the things to fur them up like baskets of fresh laundry. Once you have a relationship with a cat, you'll be able approach them, in most cases, and just pick them up from where they are sleeping. Or call them over, as you saw me tap to Ouija to come up, if he liked, and he chose to. They're independent, but they fit in well with learning the rhythms of life and gestures that mean certain things. It's the preference of autonomy in the choices that makes the difference. " Quenton crossed to some cube shelves, dipped his shoulder to let Faust down on top of them (so that he could lord over the exile of yet another subpar subject) then crouched to the bottom row where TastyKake's tail stuck out from her hiding in one, behind the mesh flap. "In the meantime, approach slowly, don't loom, and I'll show you where you can hold. Start with petting to sooth. "

Quenton reached a hand behind the flap and stroked the soft puff twice, slowly, then took firm hold of the scruff with that hand and scoop-supported her back legs with the other hand. He lifted her and drew her close to his chest, "This is scruffing. It happens to them as kittens when their mother has to carry them from hiding to hiding. Young, there's a flexor reflex that behaviorists aren't very sure about yet, or if and when it goes away. There is still loose skin on adult cats, here, on the neck. Lifting an adult cat or suspending its greater body weight entirely by its scruff is painful, so always support their weight with your second hand once you've secured their scruff in the first. It's a technique best used sparingly, in situations when you need rapid, not prolonged, restraint. You'll see vets use it for shots, or in this case, to load her into the bag with more minimal struggles that could have harmful risks to all involved. "

In a moment, he crossed back to Isaiah and the bag, "Unzip and hold it steady-"

Then switched his support hand to her back heels, and shuttled her in through the opening of the carrier like a loaf into a small oven. Then hastily zipped and secured the zipper with the plastic hook. "Some cats like travel, others don't. With frequency they do adjust to it. Our cats here have been through some travel, so if they're the sort that hate it, they're still acclimated enough that they don't usually cry more than twenty minutes. TastyKake has a good singing voice on her, when she has a mind. "

"Were there any last things I could answer or help you with? It has been a rare pleasure. " Of pleasant company with some proof of wit and playful banter. And interest in cats. I do hope he'll be back on other days for coffee, cake, or cats. Or, I suppose, even rating the week's stockings.